Automobile shade



June 4, 1929. D, F` FITZGERALD 1,715,998

y AUTOMOBILE SHADE Filed March 24, 1928 f /WQT FFe z! a ff l by /W doifazqy Patented June 4, 1929.

.DANIEL F. FITZGERALD, 0F BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

AUTOMOBILE SHADE.

Application filed March 24, 1928. Serial No. 264,552.

My present invention relates to shades or awnings, and more particularlyto a collapsible shade primarily intended for use on automobiles orother vehicles.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a'shade whichwill be compact, neat in appearance, and eliicient.

A further obj ect is to provide such a shade which will be economical tomanufacture, and simple to installand remove.

Another object is to provide an autoincbile shade which willbe easilyoperated, either to open or closed position, in an instants time.

A still further object is to provide means, automatically operable, tohold said shade in open or closed position by the simple operation ofopening or closing said shade.

A further object consists in providing a framework, comprising a. pairof springmctal frame members, one of said frames being adapted to besprung into place and fixed in a window frame, means being provided onsaid frame to prevent movement of said fixed frame away from the window,and means also being provided on said fixed frame to assist in holdingsaid fixed frame in its position in the window frame.

A further feature resides in the provision of means te limit themovement of the movable frame toward and from the fixed frame.

In carrying out my present invention I utilize a pair of spring-metalframe members, pivotally connected, one of said members adapted to befixed in a window frame, and the other member adapted to move toward andfrom said fixed frame. Interposed between these two frame members,adjacent to their pivotal connection, is a plate, two of these platesbeing preferably utilized, one at each end of the frame members. Thisplate carries lugs to limit the movement of the movable frame toward andfrom the fixed frame, and also carries a lug,

`coopeating with another lug on the lived frame, to hold the fixed framein position and prevent its accidental removal from the window frame. Inthis plate is provided a pair of recesses, one recess alined with thefixed frame member, and the other recess in a position to be alined withthe movable frame member when it is in open position. Carried by themovable frame is a springpressed plunger, adapted to engage, in eitheropen or closed position, with yone ofsaid recesses to hold said movableframe in open or closed position.

Carried by each side of the fixed frame, is

a spring-pressed plunger, preferably rubbertipped, operating through arecess in the side of said fixed frame member, -to engage the side ofthe window frame and assist in holding said fixed frame in its positionin the window frame.

My device, when installed, will not interfere in any way with theraising or lowering of the windows, or the opening or closing of the,doors.

I believe that my device, as above briefly described, is novel, and Ihave therefore claimed. the same broadly in the present application.

The above and further features of the invention, details ofconstruction, advantages and combinations, will be hereinafter morefully pointed out and claimed.

Referring to the drawings, illustrating a preferred embodiment of myinvention,

Fig. l is a perspective view of the forward portion of an automobile,illustrating my novel shade in position in one of the windows;

Fig. 2 is a plan section through the door with the shade in place;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional View on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig, 4 is a fragmentary front elevation of the shade;

a Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the corner holding plate interposedbetween the frame members.

Referring now to the drawings for a particular description of myinvention, 1 designates generally the window frame of an automobile 2. 3designates a window glass and 4 the usual felt strip or lininginterposed between the glass 3 and the frame 1. My present novel shadeor awning comprises a frame member 5, the sides 6 thereof being adaptedto bear against the sides of the frame l. A plunger 7, preferablyrubbercovered, is connected to a flat spring 8 riveted to the side 6 at9, the spring 8 pressing the plunger '7 through an aperture in the side6 against the frame 1, thus assisting in holding the frame in position.The frame 5 is preferably of flexible or spring motah and is adapted tobe sprung into position in the frame 1, the lugs 10 and 11 beingpositioned between the telt f1 and frame 1 to prevent movement of thetrame 5 away `from the irame 1. This 'frame 5 is designated herein as aCfixed frame. -The lugs 10 are shaped to partially enclose the sides Gand but a single rivet 12 is required to hold them p rigidly in place.

Pivotally mounted on the arms 6 oi the lixed frame, by means of a rivetor pivot pin 13, is a tra-me 14, movable relatively with the iixed trame5, and preferably also of spring metal. Interposed between the arms 6 ofthe txed. frame, and the movable iframe lll, is a plate 15, held againstmovement on the arm 6 by the rivet 13 and a second rivet 16. rl`he lug11 is preferably integral with this plate 15. It will be understood thatthere are two of these plates 15, one at each union between the lixedframe 5 and the movable frame 1e, but a description of one will sulhceYfor both. The plate 15 has a pair of smaller lugs 1T and 18, the lug 17being adapted to limit the opening movement ot the movable trame 14 andthe lug 18 being adapted to limit the closing movement of said movableframe.

rlhe plate 15 also has therein apertures or recesses 19, one of saidapertures being alined with the iixed arms 6, and the other of saidapertures being alined with vthemovable frame 14 when the same is inopen position, illustrated. in Fig. 3. Carried by the trame 1-1, andheld at one end by the rivet 13, is a 'flat spring plate 20 havingsecured thereto a plunger 21 extending through an aperture in the frame1a and automatically engaging, when in open or closed position, therecesses 19, to hold said movable frame in either open or closedposition, and preventing accidental opening of said frame due tovibration, shocks or the like. The end of the plunger 21 which engagesthe recesses 19 is rounded, so that on suitable pressure being exertedagainst the movable iframe, the plunger 21 will be raised against thetension of the spring until it is again alined with a recess 19,whereupon it will engage said recess 19 and again exert its holding'force or tension therein.

Carried by the frames 5 and 14 is a shade or awning 22, ot any desiredmaterial, color or quality.

Vihen the shade is in the position illustrated in Fig. 1, and it isdesired to close or raise the saine, an upward .movement on the iframe111 will tree the plungers 21 from the recesses 19 and will move theframe :inward until it is nested within the fixed frame 5, whereupon theplungers 21 will engage the recesses 19 in the plate 15 which are alinedwith the fixed frame and be seated therein,

' holding the awning or shade in closed position until it is againdesired to open the same.

From an inspection of Fig. Q, it will be apparent that my novel devicewill not interfere in the slightest with the raising or loweringof theglass 3, and from an inspection of Fig. 1 it will be seen that the saiddevice will not interfere with the opening or closing of the doors.

My present device is neat, attractive in appearance, inexpensive, easyto install and remove, and presents many advantages.

lfilhile l have necessarily described my present invention somewhat indetail, it will bc appreciated that l may vary the size, shape andarrangen'ient of parts within reasonably wide limits without departingfrom the spirit oil the invention.

My invention is further described and deined in the form of claims asfollows:

1. A device of the kind described, comprising a xed spring-metal frameadapted to be sprung into position in a window frame, a secondspring-metal frame movable relatively with the irst met-al frame, meansto limit the movement of the movable frame toward and from the iixedframe, means to hold said movable frame in open or closed position, andspring means carried by said fixed frame to engage said Window frame andfurther hold said lixed frame in position therein.

2. no device et the kind described, comprising a fixed spring-metalframe adapted to be sprung into position in a window frame, a secondspring-metal frame movable relatively with the first metal trame, aplate interposed between said iframes and Vfixed to said iixed -frame,lugs on said plate to limit the movement oi said movable frame towardand from said fixed trame, said plate having` a plurality ot' recessestherein, spring means carried by Lsaid movable frame adapted to engagesaid recesses to hold said movable traine in open or closed position,lugs carried by said ixed frame and said plate to prevent movement oisaid iixed 'trame away from said window, and spring means carried bysaid iixed frame to engage said window frame and 'further hold saidfixed Yframe in position therein.

3. A device of the kind described, comprising a fixed spring-metal frameadapted to be sprung into position in a window frame, a secondspring-metal frame movable relatively with the first metal frame, meansto limit the movement of the movable frame toward and from the fixedframe, means to hold said movable ,trame in open or closed position, andspring pressed plungers carried by said fixed frame to engage said`window frame and further hold said lixed iframe in position therein.

et. A device of the kind described, comprising a fixed sprii'ig-metaltrame adapted 'to be sprung into position in a window frame, a secondspring-metal iframe movable Cil llO

frame and said plate to prevent movement of said `iXed frame away fromsaid Window, and spring` pressed-plungers carried by said Xed frame toengage said window Jranie and further hold said fixed ira-nie in posi-15 tion therein.

In testimony whereof, have signed my name to this specification.

DANIEL F. FITZGERALD.

